Dream Realized

Any time I mentioned to anyone that I was planning a trip to Edinburgh, the response was, "Oh, what a lovely city." To a person everyone said they enjoyed their stay there and wanted to go back.

I feel the same way. My sister and brother-in-law were hosts extraordinaire, showing me as many aspects of the city as possible in seven days. We saw popular sights, as well places off the beaten path. The food was amazing, classic Scottish fare as well as Indian and Italian and delicious salads. We walked miles every day, rain or shine. The second day I was there was the hottest day on record, a sunny 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit. That was the day we went to Edinburgh Castle, where we enjoyed the coolness of stone buildings and a breeze off the water.

I love Edinburgh. If it was a city in New England I would be lobbying to move there. I knew from day one that I wouldn't be able to totally capture the city, but I could capture glimpses. I will forever remember my first trip to Scotland and hope to return someday.

 The Queen's House, where she stays when she visits the city~

The oldest close, or dead-end alley, is Bakehouse Close~

Many streets are "paved" with cobblestones~

The oldest part of the University~

The mix of old stone with new construction is striking~

A free Sunday evening concert by Odora Trio at St. Giles Cathedral~

The Botanical Gardens sprawled for acres with native plants~

That's what the climb was like up Arthur's Seat~

I made it most of the way up Arthur's Seat, high enough to wonder at the city below~